FASHION. BEAUTY. IMAGE

The following is an article that I wrote for a publication. I had to tweak it a bit (for them) but this is my original piece and one of the articles that I’m most proud of.

The fashion world has continuously dictated a certain decree with regards to the way the ideal woman should look and they have preferred these women to endorse their merchandise. Said ideal woman is a svelte individual with long limbs and is perfectly proportioned. This view is demonstrated in magazines, fashion shows as well as television. The popular fashion related movie “The Devil wears Prada” comes to mind, where lead actress Anne Hathaway is frowned upon for her size 6 body (South African size 10/34). Print media has always gotten flack for photo-shopping and distorting body images. Most fashion designers prefer leaner models over models with curves to showcase their work on ramps across the world. As much controversy that this ensues, it hasn’t stopped the fashion gurus from standing with this notion.

Curvier models and celebrities have never been shunned as such, but they have never been given the same opportunities as their leaner counterparts. There have been rebels over the years that have challenged this ideal by using women of all shapes in their campaigns, thus appealing to the masses. The last few years in particular have seen a rise in more a realistic representation of beauty. The concept of waif thin models and celebrities being role models for the perfect body has since simmered making way for a new era in fashion.

Women who have formerly been categorised as overweight are now making their mark in the ever evolving fashion world. Curvier women are now being revered for their style and designers are now lining up to add them in their shows, albeit in a very limited mode.

One of the first women to break out of the ideal was Jennifer Lopez whose rear end was the topic of discussion way before anyone knew that Kim Kardashian existed. That said, over the last few years Kim Kardashian has monopolized pop culture and is no stranger to attention with regards to her body.

Another pioneer in this evolution is model Ashley Graham. Ashley is no stranger with regards to promoting plus-size clothing but her popularity has grown considerably over the years. She was the first plus-size model to be on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2016 and has been on the cover of several fashion magazines. She recently graced the cover of U.S Vogue with other supermodels in an attempt to showcase the diversity of fashion and beauty. This did not come without controversy though as there was a debate as to whether the photo was photo-shopped and that she was asked to pose in a certain way so parts of her body were concealed.

The increased popularity of curvier women making their mark in fashion has resulted in an influx of girls and women emulating their style and developing a new found confidence in their bodies.
The fact that the photo-shop concept exists and that it is not only used on plus-size models but on most images, will always hinder the progress of what society is exposed to and what they deem perfect. Another factor to consider is that designers still make clothing in limited sizes and there isn’t much variety with regards to plus-size fashion. Therefore as much the ideal of the perfect woman has been defied there is still a long way to go before this notion is eradicated completely.

Styling has always been a passion of mine and it’s about time I started pursuing it as a career.

The services I currently offer are:

Personal Style Assessment- R250 (1 hour)

Learn how your personality traits affect what you wear and what looks best on you. Determining your personal style will make shopping easier.Colour Coding- R350 (45 minutes)

Colour coding is a process of determining your natural colour tone so clothing, make up and jewellery colours placed near your face will complement this tone. You will receive a seasonal colour palette.

Body Shape Analysis- R500 (1 hour)

A full body shape analysis will be conducted. Learn how to conceal flaws, emphasize assets, and to choose clothing that complements your body shape.

Capsule Wardrobe and wardrobe detox- R850 (1-2 hours)

Based on your personal style, skin tone and body shape I will assess your wardrobe for items that you need to let go of and items you can keep. I will also put together capsules for you to create a functional wardrobe.

Personal Shopping- R500 (1 hour) and R250 for every hour after.

I will help you to shop and fill your wardrobe with items that are perfect for you.

I just haven’t been feeling the whole blogging hype, I was a little demotivated as I kept noticing brands prefer bloggers with a ton of followers, and they don’t care about content or even if the person is grammatically proficient. I have since been writing for a publication and I get so much more gratification from that, if you follow me on social media (where I’m still pretty active) you would have probably seen a few articles that I have written.

The year 2017 brought with it my 30’s and whole new attitude towards my goals. I have mentioned my styling profession continuously and due to a few setbacks and responsibilities I haven’t had the chance to fully work on it. This month my plan is to start at it on a part-time basis and hoping it takes off in the small city I live in and its surrounds as I can’t make the move to a big city at this point. Instead on focusing on all my dreams that haven’t been fulfilled I have decided to be grateful for how far I have come whilst growing the Style By Shaheeda brand.

I am planning a website revamp soon and my next post will be a detailed description about the styling service I offer.

I don’t plan on entirely leaving the blogging scene but it’s time I up the ante and to not just envision my goals but to start to make them a reality (no matter how much hard work or disappointments it might bring with it initially).

And I wouldn’t be a fashion blogger if there wasn’t a little blogger OOTD picture right ?

(The outfit pictured is a pants and top from Country Road which I wore for my birthday dinner and is one of my favourite ensembles).

New season and the previously known Sports Luxe trend has been updated to ‘Athleisure’ . I didn’t think the trend that incorporates gym wear into your daily wardrobe will actually last, but I was wrong. Fashionista’s everywhere are preferring the comfort of sneakers over stilettos. My teenage years were spent in athleisure gear and I didn’t think I’d ever go back to that but as I type this I have a pair of Nike Roshe’s on my feet (and I’m not working out). I have coveted a pair of these sneakers for a while and I finally got a pair.

Athleisure is not jus throwing on a pair of sneakers or sweatpants, it’s all in the details. Adding accessories makes a huge difference. Also keep the ensemble simple with clean lines.

Spring 2016 has arrived with such glorious weather I must add. My favourite season brings with it new beginnings. I’m no longer tied down to a full time job which will allow me to pursue a venture that I have wanted to start for a very long time, but more on that later.

I feel that I’m my most stylish self in spring and summer due to how much I adore the clothes. This season is all about bardot (off-the-shoulder) dresses and tops and I’m the biggest fan. I picked up a dress on sale in Mango and I couldn’t wait to wear it so of course with the first sign of sunshine it was out and about. Another trend that’s huge at the moment are tassels. I accessorised with a pair of tassel earrings (which hurt like hell at the end of the day by the way).

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the footwear. I was sent a few pairs of shoes from Plum Footwear from their current Spring/Summer range. If you’re looking for some trendy footwear for the months ahead then Plum has some treats in store for you.

I have had similar conversations with two friends over the last few days and I thought that it was worth sharing. Social media has clouded our judgement so much so that some live through it! It’s the worst drug of our generation.Of course being a blogger my social media presence is what basically drives people to this blog. To be honest only our prettiest selfies or OOTD’s make the cut People start building conclusions about the person that you are via what you share. And sometimes these are so far from the truth but they believe it.

So let’s just clear up a few things shall we…

I am not the foundation that I wear on my face.

I am not the designer bag that I carry.

I am not the labels that I wear.

I am not the fancy highlights and colour on my hair.

I am not the fancy things that I eat.

I am not the car that I drive.

I am not the flower crown snapchat filter.

However…

I am the woman who has blemishes and marks (which you never see because of the foundation) that I hate.

I am the woman who has a few grey strands of hair (covered by colour and highlights on my hair).

I am the woman who is not shy to go bare faced sometimes although I don’t post it.

I am the woman who drives her dads car.

I am the woman who wears sweatpants and a hoodie on off days (praying that nobody I know sees me).

I am the woman who uses dry shampoo sometimes when I’m lazy to style my hair.

I am the woman who has cellulite and stretch marks and goes to gym everyday just to lose my thigh fat.

I am the woman who loves to dip her tennis biscuits in her tea (hence the thigh fat).

I am the woman who has been rejected.

I am the woman who wakes up and goes to work.

I am the woman who isn’t high maintenance (the designer bags and clothes are bought with hard earned money, it’s something I have coveted for years and it’s not for show).

I am the woman who still gets shy when I’m approached as ‘Style By Shaheeda’ in public.

With winter in its last stretch there are sales galore and it’s the perfect time to purchase timeless pieces if you’re lucky to come across them. Spree had a sale on their Mango stuff and I picked up something that I have wanted for a while -a cape coat. There’s just something so classy about it.

I am never super glam during the week (I can’t totter around in heels while running errands) and lately I have been favouring sneakers. I pair them with my more classic pieces which fits in perfectly with the athleisure trend.

|Cape: Mango| Ribbed Top: Forever New| Sneakers: Zara| Handbag:Gucci|

The greatest thing about this piece is that it can be styled in a multitude of ways and can work with jeans and sneakers but also as a cover up over a couture dress. It’s one of those pieces that I see in my closet for years to come.

I have titled this post skin because I’m going to cover a few skincare topics in this post.

Recently I have noticed that my social media feed is a flurry of skincare brands that are offering products and aesthetic procedures that claim to do anything from removing wrinkles to lightening skin. That is what inspired this post.

We all have skin qualms and it is very tempting to want a quick fix but these products can have long term detrimental effects. It is so important properly research products and procedures. So my first tip is if you have major skin issues then you should get your skin properly assessed by an aesthetician or dermatologist. They will prescribe a skin regimen tailor made for your skin concern.

Mixing up Skincare

Lots of people are of the impression that you should use all your products from the same brands. There’s absolutely nothing wrong in doing that, but there’s also nothing wrong in mixing up skincare from different brands. It can also be cost effective. This is totally viable if you have fairly good skin and you can choose products for yourself.

Budget Skincare:

Another misconception that many have is that high end skincare works better. Yes they do have more advanced ingredients but lets be honest not everyone can budget R2000+ on beauty products. There are some budget friendly brands that are perfectly good alternatives.

Here are a few brands that I favour (These products range from R150-R400)

–Avène: This French pharmaceutical brand is specifically formulated for sensitive skin. I have been using their Thermal Spring water spray for months and it’s one of my favourite multi purpose products. I have also used their moisturizers and sunblock from the brand and I was quite impressed.

– Bioderma: This is another French pharmaceutical brand that’s widely known around the world and my go to product from them is their sunblock.

–The Body Shop: This world renowned and established beauty brand is no stranger to many a beauty enthusiast. My constant favourites from them are their Vitamin E eye cream and Vitamin C Microdermabrasion exfoliator.

Facials:

If you have the time and are willing to spend a bit then I suggest you spend it on regular facials. I’m blessed enough not to have problematic skin apart from hormonal and stress breakouts. These result in a few blemishes, which take forever to disappear. So I do regular brightening facials to speed up the process.

I believe that it’s so important to look after your skin. I’m by no means a skin expert but I thought I’d share a few pointers with you from personal experience. Also if you have fairly good skin don’t go messing with it by trying out extreme things to solve small imperfections

A few weekends ago I had the opportunity of attending the launch of The Hayaa Box. (Hayaa- Arabic for modesty). The Hayaa box is the dreamchild of Jowhara Mahomed Ismail.

It’s a monthly subscription box tailor made for the modest Muslim woman. Each month the box will contain a cotton scarf, a scarf accessory (pins or headbands) and a beauty sample. Every month there’s a different colour scarf and before purchasing you can view what’s in the box on the website Here.

It’s a really cool idea if you’re looking to build up a scarf collection of different hues to match different ensembles. The scarves are long enough to style differently and there are few lifestyle images on their website showing how the scarves can be styled.

The launch itself was really lovely. Jowhara’s passion and her loved ones support radiated throughout the event. I met some new and old blogger and friends, and we got to indulge in a tantalizing menu.

(What’s an event without a selfie. Selfie partner Nazmeera from Shop.Style.Snap)

I was sent a press pack from LUX with their new Sheer Twilight Body Wash. LUX is one of the most recognized beauty brands in the South African (and worldwide) market. I remember my mum stocking up on Lux soap bars for years until liquid body washes were launched.

I don’t know about the rest of you but I haven’t used a traditional bar of soap in years due to the fact that body washes are more convenient and way less maintenance (Yes we have all had that dilemma of trying to pick up that bar of soap when it falls onto the shower floor).

The fragrance in the LUX Sheet Twilight body wash was specifically curated by perfumer Nicole Marcini. Black orchid is the most predominant note in the body wash which results in quite a bold fragrance. I generally favour something softer or citrusy when I purchase a body wash but surprisingly I took to this scent.

The scent claims to linger on your skin for upto 8 hours. I decided to put this to test without mixing any other scents with it. Unfortunately it stayed on my skin for about an hour only and dissipated after. That said shower time is a treat with this scent engulfing your senses.

LUX prides themselves in bringing opulence and luxury to the masses and they didn’t disappoint with this product.